


Dog Days

by m_s_b



Series: 30 Day Summer Challenge [5]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 2000AU, Gen, Professor Jim, Writer Seb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 23:42:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2044605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m_s_b/pseuds/m_s_b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In such a hot weather even James can be persuaded to take a dip in a pool.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dog Days

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thwz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thwz/gifts).



> 2000AU drabble; prompt: dog days

‘Sebastian, stop swimming in circles,’ Lady Moran looked up from the newest issue of Modern Gardening, ‘I feel dizzy just by looking at you.’

Sebastian sighed heavily.

‘Water is like s-s-soup, Mum,’ he flipped on his back, ‘I have no intention of b-boiling in it.’

Augusta rolled her eyes and returned to her magazine. Hiding in the shadow cast by a big poolside umbrella, she was sitting on the steps leading to the outdoor pool, a new addition to Morans’ mansion. The investment paid out almost immediately - summer days were unbearably hot and sultry and all of them enjoyed spending their afternoons at the poolside.

‘Then wake up your father, will you? He fell asleep on the lilo again. He’ll get a sunstroke.’

‘S-Sure,’ Seb grinned and submerged into water. His father was snoring slightly, completely unaware of his surroundings. Dog days always made him sleepy and the older Lord Moran became, the longer naps during the day he needed.

With few swift movements Sebastian swam under the lilo and pushed it up, throwing his father into the water with a big splash. Jim, who was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the pool, squeaked angrily and pressed the book he was reading to his chest.

‘Sebastian!’

‘What?’ Seb cocked his eyebrow, ‘You’re not made of s-sugar, are you?’

‘I’m not,’ Jim pouted, ‘but my book is.’

Sebastian opened his mouth to reply, but his mother interrupted him:

‘James is right, sweetheart,’ she brushed droplets of water from the cover of her magazine, ‘Don’t behave like a five-year-old and-’

Augustus finally emerged, snorting and coughing up water.

‘Wh-what happened?’ He looked around, confused.

‘Mum is w-worried you’ll get a s-sunstroke,’ Seb informed him, grinning broadly, ‘She thinks you shouldn’t be s-sleeping in the s-sun.’

‘Fine, fine,’ the elderly man mumbled, ‘but you didn’t have to be so… brutal, son.’ Augustus added and slowly moved to sit next to his wife. He lent slightly and whispered something into her ear. She shook her head and delicately hit her husband in the arm with the rolled magazine, before she stood up.

‘It’s high time for tea,’ Lady Moran wrapped pareo around her waist, ‘Your father’s hungry,’ she added with a smile; her husband murmured something under his nose, ‘and you’re probably a bit peckish, too. Are you coming with us?’

‘Not n-now,’ Sebastian shook his head, ‘I need to do a few more lengths b-b-before tea.’

‘James?’ Augusta turned to the other man.

‘I’ll stay with Sebastian,’ Jim replied, smiling to her shyly.

‘Fine,’ Seb’s mother sighed, ‘but don’t sit here for too long. Tea will be ready in half an hour,’ she added and followed her husband into the house.

With his parents out of sight, Sebastian quickly reached the edge of the pool occupied by Jim. The man was still reading, his eyes running quickly along the lines of text.

‘You s-sure you don’t w-want to get in, Kitten?’ He delicately stroked Jim’s foot with his thumb. ‘You look as if you c-could use a dip in a pool.’

‘I’m perfectly fine, Sebby,’ Jim replied, turning the page. Seb didn’t give up that easily, though.

‘Oh c-come on, you’re going to b-boil in all these clothes,’ he tugged at the leg of James’ shorts.

‘On the contrary,’ sighing heavily, Jim put the book down and looked at Sebastian, ‘I’m very comfortable in them. At least I won’t get a sunburn,’ he added when Seb raised his eyebrow in disbelief.

‘You can s-sit on the s-steps just like Mum did. It’s pretty sh-shallow there, you know.’ James still didn’t seem convinced. ‘A few minutes in the water won’t hurt you, Kitten,’ Sebastian added with a smile.

‘Seb, you know I don’t like-’

‘I know,’ Seb nodded, slowly moving his hand up Jim’s leg, ‘I won’t do anything s-stupid, I promise.’

James studied Sebastian’s face for a moment before swatting his hand away.

‘Fine,’ he mumbled standing up; Seb beamed. ‘I guess I can give-,’ Jim pulled his t-shirt through his head, ‘-it a try. Shorts stay,’ he threw the t-shirt on a folding chair.

‘S-Sure,’ Sebastian grinned, following Jim with his eyes as the man slowly circled the pool and stopped by the steps, anxiously eyeing the water. James was slightly aquaphobic, had been all the time Seb knew him. Right now, though, he was making incredible progress - until now Sebastian never managed to persuade Jim to do more than dipping his feet in the water.

Tensed, James entered the pool, carefully setting his feet on the steps. Slowly, he sat down on the second step, hissing as the cold water washed against his warm skin. Seb swam closer and kneeled in front of Jim.

‘And?’ He asked softly, brushing dark hair from James’ forehead.

‘Your hands are cold,’ Jim winced. Sebastian snickered.

‘That’s the p-point,’ he poured some water on the other man’s shoulder.

‘Hey!’ James moved away a bit, frowning. ‘Sebastian-’

‘Shhh, b-b-babe,’ Seb rested his hands on brunette’s waist and lent forward, brushing his nose against James’, ‘I p-promised, didn’t I?’ He whispered against Jim’s lips.

Someone above them cleared their throat. Sebastian looked up and saw Stevens. The butler, dressed in his impeccable three-piece suit, was standing at the edge of the pool, his face as expressionless as always.

‘Yes, S-Stevens?’ Seb could feel his cheeks burning up.

‘Lady Moran asks you and mister James to join her and Lord Moran for tea, young master,’ Stevens announced.

‘Yes, o-of course,’ Sebastian nodded, moving away from Jim, whose ears turned red, ‘Tell my mother that we w-will join them in a s-s-second.’

Stevens nodded and returned to the house, leaving two men blushing.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you wondered - Sebastian stammers.


End file.
